A one-off
"Hey, what time is it?" Mary asked.
"Uhh, 6:44. You've got time." Dorcas responded.
Mary had told her friends about the new arrangement earlier that day, and now, with roughly 30 minutes until she has to leave for the library, she's sat with her friends, absolutely dreading it.
"I still can't believe Flitwick's forcing you to do this." Emmeline stated.
"It's gonna be hell Mary I hope you know that, she's a big headed bitch."
"Oh thanks Marls, very supportive of you!" Mary chirped sarcastically.
"No, seriously though, it was really unfair of him to do that." Emmeline added.
"I know. I mean it's not exactly a secret that we don't get on. And now I have to sit and listen to her for like an hour. It's the dictionary definition of unfair! Silly, silly man."
The girls started chuckling at this, Mary instead resorted to banging her head on the table.
"Really though, Mary. It'll be fine. She can't do more than piss you off." Dorcas had always been slightly more empathetic than the other two girls.
"I know 'Cas, but she always pisses me off as it is. It's ten times worse that it's at the end of the day. I'm usually in bed by now!"
"We know. You lazy arse!"
"Oh be quiet Marlene! You aren't any better than me!"
Marlene quietened down at that. The girls did love their sleep, there was no arguing that.
"Uh- Mary..." Marls started in a confused tone.
"Yeah?"
"Why is Avery staring at you like that?"
Mary turned her head towards the Slytherin table. Her best friend was right, the boy was staring her down with an unsettling intensity.
"Oh. I don't know." She rushed out quickly.
She stared back. He didn't look away. Mary watched as his knuckles turned white from his grip on his knife. Really, he did look quite stupid, but after yesterdays events. She was on his radar, and that was never a good thing.
Not only was he a rumored death eater, but so were all his friends. She had heard all sorts about that group. She'd like to believe they were just rumors. But they were particularly terrifying. She knew she couldn't be naïve about this. Rumors or not, they were a nasty bunch.
"Mary...?" Marlene always knew when she was lying. It was awfully irritating.
"Uhh- well i may have had small run in with him yesterday."
This caught the boys attention as well.
"You what Mars?" James asked, his eyebrow raised.
"Yeah he was pretty grim."
"What do you mean?" Sirius probed.
"Well he started on all this shit about how he'd 'give me a chance' it wasn't exactly pleasant." Mary rushed out.
"What a prick!" Remus responded.
Christ.
Right, keep them calm Mary.
Ha! Easier said than done.
She'd have better luck trying to calm a Hungarian Horntail.
"Did he do anything else. Are you okay?!"
Peter was by far the sweetest of the boys. Not that he could be considered weak, you'd be insane to get on his bad side. But his kindness towards his friends was unmatched. He was a marauder through and through.
"Yes Pete, I'm okay, thank you. And well... yes I suppose he did."
"What? If he went near you I'll kill him!" James proclaimed.
"He called me a- well-"
"What did he say Mary?!"
"He called me a mudblood." She said meekly
"Fucker!"
"No, no James please. Not right now!" She begged.
"To be fair, not that I don't want to murder him just as much, but it may be wise to let Mary get this tutoring thing over and done with. She doesn't need loads to worry about at once. Does she, James?"
Thank you Pete.
Thank you.
"Yes. Yes I suppose."
"Thank you James. After this is over an done with you can hurt him as much as you want."
"Merlin Mars its 20 past 7!"
"Shit! See you later!"
The group yelled their goodbyes to her as she picked up her back and began to sprint out the hall and towards the library.
Finally reaching Lily, she collapsed on the floor.
"Um. Are you okay?"
"I dont -gasp- think -wheeze- Ive ever run that fast."
All she got in response was an unimpressed eye roll.
Well I guess last night really was a one-off.
"Right, come and sit down."
"I can't! I'm in pain! Did you not see how fast I just ran! I'm extremely unfit!"
"Stop being so dramatic." Lily deadpanned.
"I'm not being dramatic! I think I'm dying!"
Lily gave her a pointed look, as if to say 'really?'.
"Do you wanna try running like that?"
"Come on."
"Fine."
"Right get out your books."
Mary reluctantly did as she was told, attempting to get this over and done with without any arguments.
They worked normally for the most part, although Mary was finding it increasingly difficult to keep her mouth shut once it had hit the 2 hour mark.
"Can we pick this up next time, I want to go back to my dorm."
"Too bad, do the work."
"Stop talking to me like that!"
"Like what?" Lily responded challengingly
"Like your in charge of me!"
"I kind of am." Lily laughed.
"Fuck it, I'm not putting myself through this." Mary huffed, standing up and collecting all her belongings.
"But Flitwick said-"
"I don't give a rats arse about what Flitwick said!"
"What are you going to tell him then." Lily asked, raising an eyebrow.
"That the girl he partnered me with is completely insufferable."
"Right, well have fun failing!"
"Will do!" Mary said with a sarcastic smile and a wave goodbye, leaving Lily alone at the table.
—————————
Mary threw the door open to her dorm, throwing her bag down lazily onto her bed.
This earned a weary laugh from Marlene, who was sprawled across her bed on the other side of the room.
"I take it your first study session didn't go too well then?" She questioned.
"First and the last."
"Ah."
"Bloody hate that girl."
"Yep." Marls said.
Mary just flopped on her bed.
"You want to talk about it?"
"Nah."
Mary always loved that Marlene never just pushed with things. She was one of the only people who respected that she didn't always want to talk, and Mary appreciated that. They were best friends for a reason.
"Okay. Goodnight Mary." She said with a comforting smile.
"Night Marls." Mary said returning it.
Marlene rolled over and before anyone knew it she was out like a light.
Not Mary though. Even after she had gotten ready to sleep, it didn't come quickly.
In fact, she spent most of the night just staring at the ceiling thinking. Not about anything it particular. But it was early hours of the morning once sleep finally found her.